No seniors without juniors

Riitta Silvennoinen, Chief Human Resources Officer at Aalto University:
'Where do tomorrow’s experts come from? From someone giving them a chance today.

I still remember my first boss fondly. I was doing a summer job in a care home in London and was keen to suggest that we might do things a little differently. She let me try and develop ideas. As I was leaving, she said: ‘You can be anything.’ Having someone believe in me at the very start of my career left a lasting mark.

Later, I was hired to lead HR for Nokia’s Networks business in Europe and Africa, with no prior HR experience. Once again, someone trusted that I would learn. And I did — and found the field I’ve stayed in.

Curiosity, initiative, and a desire to understand the bigger picture beyond my own role have carried me a long way. But alongside them, I’ve needed people who gave me responsibility and room to grow.

That’s why offering a summer job is much more than a hiring decision for a single summer. It’s a chance for a student to show what they can do, learn, and find their direction. For an employer, it’s an opportunity to develop tomorrow’s experts and gain fresh ideas.'

Esa Arola, Lead Engineer, Borouge International:
'Is a summer job just a summer job? For me, it opened up new ways of thinking.

I ended up in my field, chemical engineering, somewhat by chance, but a summer job at a petrochemical plant changed everything. I was hugely impressed when, in an optimisation meeting, my colleagues were sketching out feedstock usage scenarios on Post-it notes—what to do with which feedstock at given price levels.

In that moment I realised how engineering skill and business sit at the same table. The hands-on work reinforced the feeling: this is my thing.

How a young professional is seen at work is crucial. A senior researcher coached me to solve a process problem myself, even though he could have sorted it in fifteen minutes. With trust came responsibility as well, as my line manager asked me to update the emissions calculation for the environmental permit.

I built it almost from scratch, and the same model is still in use. When responsibility is given, confidence follows.

For me, the summer job wasn’t just a line on a CV—it was the start of a story!'

Vilma Paavola, President, Chair of the Board, KY - Aalto University Business Students:

'I was sitting in a lecture hall analysing the development process of a surfboard: how it progresses from fluid mechanics to a user-centred design process and ultimately to selling the finished product. In that moment, I saw how important it is in working life to understand broader processes and different ways of thinking, beyond one’s own speciality. That insight has significantly influenced what I expect from my studies and my future career.

I hope my future workplace will be a dynamic environment where I can work with ambitious and inspiring people. I want to help create genuine impact. Whether it’s for an individual, a larger community, or even an entire continent, I want my work to leave a clearly observable positive mark. The best part of being involved in student organisations has been precisely those moments when you understand you’ve been able to create meaningful experiences for the people around you.

My years of study have also shown that it isn’t always worth making plans where each step follows logically from the last. It’s better to head towards what feels right in the moment, and the rest usually falls into place. My sixth form headteacher summed this up well by saying that when thinking about your career, you should find something you love and are good at, and then find someone who will pay you to do it.

So it’s not worth fixating on a single dream job and building a polished path towards it. It may be that when the door to that dream job finally opens, you realise the goal was never worth pursuing. Instead, seize the opportunities that present themselves along the way. I would encourage everyone to approach their career with an open mind and confidence in their own abilities—everything will work out.'

Camille Fourié, Chair and International Relations, TOKYO Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture student association:
'One of the things that has stayed with me as especially encouraging came from a summer at Domaine de Boisbuchet, an international research centre for design and architecture. I led the media team there, a group of brilliant volunteer creatives who documented the summer workshops, and together we shaped content for the Domaine’s social media. What I remember most is how energising it is to work in a team of people who genuinely enjoy showing up.

That experience also shapes how I think about where I’m headed. I’m still exploring, but I see two paths that I hope will overlap. The first is textile and fashion design, which I’m discovering through my studies and which draws me in through the materiality of fabrics. The second is facilitating creative work: making cultural programmes and workshops happen, as I did when I assisted with workshop coordination at Boisbuchet. At Aalto, through student volunteering, I’m also drawn to roles that combine hands-on making with facilitating creativity and community.

If there’s one thing I’d share with fellow students about working life, it’s this: while you’re still studying, try volunteering in the areas that interest you. You’ll meet motivated people, do work you enjoy, gain valuable experience and learn a lot about yourself along the way.'

Laura Juvonen, Senior Vice President, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland:
"Do you know that feeling when something clicks into place and a new path suddenly opens?

I still remember the thrill when, as a third-year student, I walked into Aalto University’s computational engineering lab for my first summer job and realised that research can be done with computers. Simulations, modelling materials at the atomic scale — the natural sciences intertwined with new tools, and the world opened up in a new way.

Along the way, one person was especially pivotal: Academy Professor Kimmo Kaski. He saw potential, encouraged me out of my comfort zone, and pushed me towards opportunities I wouldn’t have known to seize on my own.

Kimmo also encouraged me to go abroad. I returned the following summer to do my master’s thesis, went straight on to a doctoral project — and soon found myself in Oxford and collaborating with the University of Georgia. I quickly learnt that real breakthroughs happen with people: collaboration, diversity, and the courage to seek partners beyond your own circle. Without that, my PhD wouldn’t have happened.

Curiosity and the urge to create new things have carried me forward — even when I left hands-on research after my doctorate and moved into roles that build, lead, and make space for innovation.

I believe those of us in working life have a responsibility — or rather an opportunity — to open doors for young people. From summer jobs to mentoring, from internships to that small bit of encouragement that helps you step beyond your comfort zone."

Anu Vanhanen, Board Member: Communications, External relations, Aalto University Student Union (AYY):
'Last spring, I had the chance to take part in the recruitment of AYY’s Head of Advocacy and Communications. I wish more people my age could experience something similar. It was particularly valuable to exchange thoughts with more experienced colleagues after the interviews and consider, in addition to competence, the cultural fit with our work community. The experience further increased my motivation to work for our community, as well as my confidence in myself and the future.

We students have a lot to contribute already during our studies, provided we’re given the opportunity to show what we can do. At Aalto, the desire to gain experience, take responsibility and get involved in demanding tasks is visible in the volunteer culture: there’s no shortage of doers, and at the same time skills from project management to budgeting, prioritisation and clear communication grow.

Although volunteering offers valuable experience, it does not replace the opportunity to gain work experience in one’s own field. For that, we need employers who are willing to give students their first opportunities.

Without juniors there are no seniors. Every seasoned professional was once at the start of their career. We cannot expect young people to have work experience if we do not also offer them opportunities to gain it.'